Measuring and dispensing top with dual compartments filled and emptied alternately



Sept. 30, 1952 A. L. ELLIS 2,612,295

' MEASURING AND DISPENSING TOP WITH DUAL COMPARTMENTS FILLED AND EMPTIED ALTERNATELY Filed April 11, 1951 IIIII mu A. LEIGHTON ELLIS FIG.2 BY 640mm AT TOR/VE Y Patented Sept. 30, 1952 I 1 l MEASURING AND 'EDISPENSING TOP WITH 'DUAL -=C-MP=A1R" 1M E NT s FILLED AND LEMPTIEDI ALTERNATELY Alfredllieighton-Ellis, Atlanta, Ga.

Application April 1951, Serial No. 220,460

My invention relates to dispenser mechanisms generally, but more .in particular itOfiJliil'IIPITOVBd measuring and dispensing top .for :a su'gar con.-

tainer'wherein measured quantities .of sugar may besuccessively dispensed "from thei-zcontain'er ,3 Claims. (01. 222 477 without moving the same from a pouri-ng posi- I tion. The-invention 'further pertains-to :a-tcap or-tcir- -cnlar-threadedtop-now'known and used inrestaurants for the dispensing of sugar and :is

" adapted for use'with such .container.-

it is highly "desirable ina :sugarzdispenser that the component :parts be as simple as possible in their design and prelatively'few innumberzso .that the ultimate cost-and. weighttof the .unit .be attractive to both the purchaser and user; Moreover, the unit must be simple and.pcs'itivein its operation, dispensing axgiven amount :eachtime it is operated and thus prove'its :advantages'to t'thergeneral public. Thedispenser'unitmust also "be; easily removed from the container :for clean- .ing without undue, loss of time .or effort onythe part of the owner-or restaurant proprietor. The general design-of the I product should bein keepinggwith that of other food. containers and the ,fmaterials. be of such 1 quality as to :resist corrosion :and to withstand the same .handling :and abuse given to related products.

Inrestaurants or coffee shops, if the customer rdesired to-sweeten his beverage, the amount-of sugar, if any at al1,will usually'varyrsbetween one or. two teaspoonfuls, a.,.-1itt1e more or less :making no appreciable difference 'tO .thB"tB;StB. :It is highly desirable, therefore; that, a di spenser be made which will :dispense cone .teaspoonful. of sugarat a time, and as manyxtimes asf desired by the customer, all without returning the lsugar container to an upright position. Suchxa device ..will not only be pleasing to the customer, but

"will actually save on the amountof-sugar used, -since:many customers are prone-to guess atathe amount .needed to sweeten their beverage :and often use more than necessary. Exactdispensing-of the sugar will tend to'produce uniformity 1.1'eadily cleanedas any other vessel or'rlgitchen.

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selectively movable into the open area :Afurther object of the invention is I such a measuring and dispensing itops.wherein the top is provided with a false bottom stri-p' coeseveralviews, and wherein:

A further object of the invention is toxprovide 'a measuring and dispensing-top which has .dual

compartments for storing a given quantitynf material for dispensing, thecompartments being -'of the container 'for filling. toprovide acting with movable-side walls to define-a measured enclosure for dispensing a given quantity, one set of theWa-lls being of such dimensions .aas to coincide with the false bottom strip :and-aa' another set of side walls is forced into'ftheopen area of the container for filling. I

Still another 1 object of the invention 'to provide a measurin'gand dispensing top which;:when

tipped to a pouring or" dispensing position, :may bem'ade to dispense successively any number of spoonfuls of sugar,-for example,-without returning the container to an upright position.

Further. objects and advantages of myt'invention=wil1 be apparent in the :following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawing in which; like vcl'xaracterssof reference designate corresponding parts: throughout' -the Fig. 1 isan elevational viewof. an embodiment of my invention. in a measuring :and dispensing top, the same being shown.attachedltozakcontainer. I I i Fig. ,2 is a cross-sectional det'ailviewof the upper portion :of the container and top. i

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken-along line 3-3'0f.'Eig'.'2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view-taken along line 4-4 of Fig.2.

:Fig. 5 is 'a broken detail View illustrating the manner of forming a stop for limiting: the=travel of oneof the-movablermembers of 'thetop. Fig. 6- is :a broken exploded view showing, in perspective, a positioningistopfortwouaof the top members.

In .the drawing, numeral'lflidesignates ascrew cap which, as shown-in 'bothlFigs; 1.:and 2;-.-1s threaded in, the same manner'iasaconventional jar top and is attached toytthe upper threaded end of. a container ll. .Insteadof 'the-capfbeing provided with 1a completely solid. top :member; :it

15 shown in ,F'igs."3; and 4 as havingonly a strip i -2, diverging outwardly at one -end t0 forms-a false bottom 13 .for a dispensing, compartment l which will be describedlaterin the specification.

1, 4 1 b a 91 reaszoffthecap, l.0..-

Tojinsure. rigidity. a small .rim M is leftlaround -cross-strip |2.

is clipped and turned up at two points substantially opposite from each other to form twostops l and IS. A detail view of the manner of breaking the rim to form the stop is illustrated in I Fig. 5.

As shown in the drawing, I have provided a completecover having an opening in the same of such'diameter as to permit it to be fitted snug-" 1y over the circumferential edge of the rim |4. To position the cover angularly I have pro-* bottom l3 and exposed to the inner area of the container I. Should the position of the pockets be reversed, the pocket 25 would be exposed to the inner area of the container. Each of the two pockets is arranged to enclose a volume substantially equal to one teaspoonful of sugar and vided an indentation l8 in the edge of the rim l4 and a matching indentation H3 in the side wall of the cover As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the top of the cover does not lie in a completely flat plane, but a portion thereof is slanted downwardly to provide clearance for the wing end I9 of a dispensing, lever designated generally by the numeral 20. 1 The lever 20 is provided with a generally square shaft 2| afiixed to the wing I9 and extended through a hole n22placed in the center of the cover I1. and threaded to receive a wing nut 23; the shaft, "ofcours extending through a hole providedin The lower en'dof the shaft is tapped the center of the cross-strip [2 of the screw cap ill), and being round for snug turning fit where it passesthrough the cover I! and through the The shaft 2| is of such length l as to permit the-wing stud 23 to be tightened .snugly onthe shaft to prevent it from working up. and still allow sufi'icient clearance for the v entire dispensing lever to be turned by the han- =.dle, |9 for .efiicient operation.

it can beseenj that while the volume of one pocket'is being dispensed through the hole 29 in the cover H, the other pocket is being automatically filled from the supply in the container I Assoon as the volume from one pocket is dispensed, the other measured volume is brought into a dispensing position by turning the outer lever with the thumb or finger without returning the container to an upright position. It is fur-- ther apparent that as many spoonfuls of sugar as desired can thus be dispensed in exact amounts.

' allwithout returning the container to an upright Arranged for movement by the shaft 2| of the I dispensing lever 20 is a'fan-shaped structure denoted generally in the drawing by the nu- :meral-24. This structure is made of a single' lengthof thin metal stripping by starting one end near the axial center of the shaft, extending the strip outwardly and turning the same to a radius slightly less than that of the smallest diameter of the cover As shown in Fig. 3,

-the:strip is returned toward the end of the'starting point of the strip and then bent reversely and'formed into a squareand finally completing a second triangle'with the end of the strip finishing at the starting point. The four thicknesses of the strip which meet at one corner of the formed square are then soldered or spot welded togetherto form the circular segment as shown,

which is now divided into two triangular pockets 25 and 26. Positioned in the circumferential wall of'each of these-pocekts 25 and 26'are holes 1 .21 and 2B placed on a line substantially bisecting the described angle of their respective pockets." In'the outer wall of the cover, I have also provided a similar size hole 29 positioned substantially diametrically opposite the matchin indentations 8 and I9.

By reference to Fig. 3, it can be seen that when thezpocket 25 is moved clockwise, the outer end of the fan-shaped structure 24 is made to strike one of the stops l5, placing the hole 21 of the on the rim l4, bringing the hole 28 of the pocket 28: intodirect alignment with the hole 29 of the cover I T. It is now'apparent that when the hole of either pocket is brought into alignment with the hole in the cover, that "enclosed on all four sides. In Fig. 3, the pocket ='25= isshown in such a' position, while the pocket- 26' isshow'n extending slightly beyond the false particular pocket is "and theassembly may then be screwed to position and re-tipping.

It will be remembered that the inner formed square on the fan-shaped structure 24 only'sli'dably embraces the shaft 2| so that the same may be easily disassembled for cleaning. Moreover,

the height-of the structure 24 is such that it freely sIidesbetWeen the cover I! and the false bottom l3, yet the allowed clearance is sufiiciently small to" prevent the escape of any quantity of sugar. back into the supply area of the container I The entire unit is so constructed that it ma be readily detached from the container by unscrewing the cap H) in the conventional manner. By removing the wing stud 23, the cover may be removed from the cap l0 and the pocket forming segment 24 removed by withdrawing the. dispensing lever 20. Re-assembly of the unit is made by replacing "the shaft 2| through the square of the segment '24, and placing this assembly between the cover I1 and cap l0, thereby fitting the cover snugly about the rim on the ledge provided, and by finally locking the cover to the cap by means of the wing stud 23. The indentations I8 and Hon the'icap l0 and the cover I 1, respectively, align these two pieces in perfect working arrangement the top ofthe container l0.

Such a simple mechanism permits the compo ,nents to be easily removed for cleaning and the device is arranged so that it'is not encumbered with numerous levers or blind pockets where corrosionumight occur or which might otherwise 'prove' unsanitary. The device is made of some "pocket 25 in direct alignment with the hole 29 in the cover .By the same token, when the structure2 lis moved or turned counter-clock- "w'ise,;-"the opposite end strikes the other stop I6 corrosion resisting material'such as aluminum or stainless steel or plastics and each part is readily adaptable to mass production by modern machinery. g

While I have described my invention in detail,

it is apparent that minor constructional details could be made without departing from the invention as defined by the following claims.

I'claim: I

1. In a device of the class described, a hollow- "cap, the top of said cap being partially cut away to leave a, strip thereacross diverging outwardly at, one 'end toforma false bottom, a cover fitted snugly oversaid cap, a rotatably mounted shaft having one end extending: downwardly through said strip and another end extending upwardly through said covertofsecure said cover in place on said cap, a handle. fixedgon the end of said ishaftextending through said cover,,fa stening 1 means on'the end of said shaft extending through -"said" strip, complementary means o said a'p and said cover mutually engaged to prevent ropartments selectively into registry with the dispensing opening in said cover, stop means on said cap to limit movement of said measuringelement, said false bottom being constructed and arranged selectively to cover the measuring com 'partment in communication with the dispensing opening in registry with the dispensing openinto registry with the dispensing opening in said cover, upturned portions on said cap to limit movement of said measuring element, said false bottom being constructed and arranged selectively to cover the measuring compartment in communication with the dispensing opening in registry with the dispensing opening in said cover and to uncover the other of said measuring com-s partments.

2. In a device of the class described, a hollow threaded cap, the top of said cap being partially cut away to leave a strip thereacross diverging outwardly at one end to form a false bottom, a cover fitted snugly'over said cap,. a rotatably mounted shaft having one end extending downwardly through said strip and another end extending upwardly through said cover to secure said cover in place on said cap. a handle fixed on the end of said shaft extending through said cover, fastening means on the end of said shaft extending through said strip, complementary means on said cap and said cover mutually engaged to prevent rotation of said cover on said cap, said cover, forming an arcuate pocket above said false bottom, a measuring element positioned in said pocket and secured to said shaft for movement therewith, said measuring element comprising a single strip of material bent centrally upon itself and about said shaft, the end portions of said measuring element extending outwardly for a distance approximating the radius of said arcuate pocket and then being curved toward each other and inwardly to form two substantially triangular-shaped measuring compartments, said cover being providedwith a dispensing opening, said measuring element being provided with dispensing openings communicating respectively with said measuring compartments, said measuring element beingmovable by said handle to bring the dispensing openinss communicating with said measuring coming in said cover and to uncover the other of said measuring compartments.

3. In a device of the class described, a screw.

threaded cap having a peripheral ledge adjacent the top thereof, the top of said cap being partially cut away to leave a strip thereacross diverging outwardly at one end to, form a false bottom for a dispensing compartment, a cover fitted snugly over said cap andresting upon said ledge, a rotatably mountedshafthaving one end extending downwardly through said strip and another end extending upwardly through said cover to secure said cover in place on said cap, a handle fixed on the end of said shaft extending through said cover, a wing nut on the end of said shaft extending through said strip, complementary indentations on said cap and said cover. mutually engaged to prevent rotation of said cover on saidcap, said cover forming'an arcuate pocket above said false bottom, a measuring element positioned in said pocket and secured to said shaft for movement therewith, said measuring element comprising a single strip of material bent centrally upon itself and about said shaft, the end portions of said measuring element extending outwardly for a distance approximating the radius of said arcuate pocket and then being curved toward each other and inwardly to form two substantially triangularshaped measuring compartments, said cover be ing provided with a dispensing opening, said measuring element being provided with dispensing openings communicatingrespectively with said measuring compartments, said measuring with the dispensing opening in registry with the dispensing opening in said cover and to uncover the other of said measuring compartments.

ALFREDLEIGHTON ELLIS. I

No references cited, 

